1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the construction junction box, and more particularly to a sensitive lighting fixture constructed for replacing a junction box cover, a wall socket or a switch panel to incorporate with the metal made junction box to form a utility lighting device.
2. Description of Related Arts
Wall sockets are preinstalled on walls in every commercial and residential building to provide sources of electricity that the users can electrically connect electrical appliances thereto for electricity supply by plugging their electric plugs into the sockets. Generally, as shown in FIG. 1, electric wires A1 are extended to the location of a wall socket B1 where the electric wires A1 are electrically connected with the terminals of the wall socket B1. Since electrical connections between the wires A1 and wall socket B1 must avoid hazardous environment such as moisture and dust, a metal made construction junction box A2 was pre-installed in the wall C1 by, for example, mounting to wall construction beam C2 while the building was built, wherein the terminal end portions of the electrical wires A1 are extended into the interior cavity of the construction junction box A2. To install the wall socket B1, it is merely mounted in front of the construction junction box A2, so that the electrical connection between the wires A1 and the terminals of the wall socket B1 are protected within the construction junction box A2 from outside. Similarly, the wall mount switch panel D1 is also constructed to be mounted in front of the construction junction box A2 to protect its electrical connections.
However, due to the construction requirement of utilizing the construction junction boxes for wall sockets and switch panels construction, most of the buildings will provide as many construction junction boxes as possible so that the user, especially for the commercial owners of the buildings, can install switches or sockets based on their real need. However, when any construction junction box A2 is not in use, that is no wall socket C1 or switch panel D1 is need to install to the construction junction box A2, a junction box cover E1 is be used to cover the construction junction box A2 from outside.
Also, when a wall socket B1 is not in use, a plastic plug cover F1 is suggested to be plugged into the wall socket B1 in order to prevent the children from reaching the sockets or blocking liquid from entering the wall socket B1 through the plug holes. However, such plug cover F1 may only work for baby child at age three or less. To those wall sockets B1 that are not normally in use, it is too simply for older kids to unplug the plug covers F1 and play with those wall sockets B1. Therefore, to any wall socket that is not in use generally, it is recommended to replace the wall socket B1 with the junction box cover E1 for protection and keeping from reach of kids. For safety reason, it is nothing wrong to permanently cover a non-use construction junction box. However, for utility purpose, it is a waste of resources to do so.
On the other hand, night lighting fixtures are used both indoors and outdoors to light walkways, stairs, bathrooms, bedrooms, and other places, where a low level of illumination is desired for purposes of safety and convenience.
In general, outdoor fixtures are recessed within the wall structure and are connected to the normal electrical wiring system contained in homes, apartments and other buildings. These fixtures usually have an exposed face or plate provided with louvers or other similar openings through which the light passes to provide illumination. The balance of the fixture is recessed and concealed within the wall structure. The light is usually turned on and off manually or by a pre-set timer. Where photocells have been used, the photocell has been separate from the recessed fixture.
In the case of a manually operated fixture, conservation of light and electrical energy is dependent upon timely human intervention. A pre-set timer maintains the period pre-set for illumination and is not responsive to actual external ambient lighting conditions. Consequently, it is possible that the electrical light is turned on when illumination is not needed, and turned off when darkness prevails creating a hazard and risk to security.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,032 discloses an indoor night light which is generally not recessed and project outwardly from the wall, presenting a hazard to children and inconvenience. Outdoor light fixtures are sealed against the elements in many cases. Indoor lights are not sealed and are unsuited for outdoor use. U.S. Pat. No. 2, 857,371 discloses a recessed lighting fixture to be integrally installed to a hole made on a wall. It likes a wall lamp that the user needs to make a hole on the wall in precise dimension for screwing the recessed lighting fixture thereon. However, such lighting fixture is specifically designed for the building constructors to install to newly built structures. It is well known that, in the United States, the walls, which are supported by vertical and horizontal building frames, are generally made of cardboards, asbestos boards or plaster boards that are not firm and rigid enough to support the lighting fixture. To home users and property owners, they not only may not know how to make a right hole at a right position to fit the recessed lighting fixture as suggested by the ""371 patent, but also can""t even locate where are the vertical or horizontal building frames behind the walls for screwing the lighting fixture thereto, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the ""371 patent. One more difficulty for home users is that it requires a great skill and also is a great hazard to connect and extend electrical wires behind the walls to electrically connect with the light bulbs of the lighting fixtures for power supply.
It is a main objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture which is specifically designed to incorporate with the construction junction box built on wall, ceiling or floor to form a utility lighting device, wherein the sensitive lighting fixture is capable of replacing the not-in-use wall socket or switch panel to avoid unwanted hazard to the environment while providing an additional utility function such as night light, walkway indicator, and etc. In other words, by replacing a non-use wall socket with the sensitive lighting fixture while using the existing construction junction box can substantially prevent the children and pets from getting electric shocks at the non-use wall sockets.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, wherein since the metal made existing construction junction box built on wall, ceiling or floor is used as an exterior housing of the sensitive lighting fixture, so that the sensitive lighting fixture of the present invention has no need to manufacture the metal case to enclose the electrical connections of the sensitive lighting fixture that reduces not only the manufacturing steps but also the product cost.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, which is easy to install and the users have no need to worry about the electrical power source for the sensitive lighting fixture since the electric wires are already extended and provided inside the construction junction box.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, which provides a recessed lighting fixture on wall without the need of drilling extra hole on wall and extending electric wires thereto from electric power source.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, which provides a recessed night light having a wall flat surface to avoid any component projected outwardly from the wall so as to present hazard to children and inconvenience.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, which provides a plug-in type fluorescent lamp in low voltage as light source and a specifically designed fluorescent lamp socket to receive and mount the plug-in type fluorescent lamp thereto, so that the unplugging of the plug-in type fluorescent lamp is as simple as just pulling out the plug-in type fluorescent lamp outwardly from the socket and the installation of the plug-in type fluorescent lamp is also as simple as just inwardly plugging in two terminal arms of the fluorescent lamp into two terminal slots of the fluorescent lamp socket respectively, wherein the fluorescent lamp has a better linear electric contact to ensure steady power supply.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, which comprises light shade utilizing a detachably hinge to connect with the base seat for covering the fluorescent lamp inside the light source recess, wherein the users can easily reach the fluorescent lamp for replacement by detaching or hinging up the light shade. Therefore, the users can change the fluorescent lamp of different color any time easily.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, which further comprises a light shelter to guide the light beams downwards so as to prevent direct front access of the lighting beams that may be annoyed with some users. In addition, a filter lens can be installed to the bottom opening of the light shelter to prevent insects from getting inside the light source recess.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, which comprises a visible light detecting photocell to control the switch on or off of the lighting fixture, whereby the photocell is adapted to turn the light source off when the photocell detects ambient light and on when the photocell does not detect ambient light.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, which further comprises a switch that enables the users to turn off the photocell and the lighting fixture at will. Moreover, an auxiliary socket with hinged cover is provided on the lighting fixture so as to provide a power source at that construction junction box for users who may occasionally need a power source at such location.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a sensitive lighting fixture for construction junction box, wherein the user is free to change the color of the lamp and/or the color and style of the filter lens from time to time so as to match the interior design of the environment as well as the mood of the user.
In order to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a sensitive lighting fixture for a construction junction box installed on a surface to provide a recessed cavity surrounding with metal walls, wherein electric wires from a power source are extended inside the recessed cavity, wherein the sensitive lighting fixture comprises
a base seat comprising a front plate and a recessed case rearwardly extended from the front plate, wherein the recessed case has a light source socket indented therein and a light source opening opened on the front plate, wherein the recessed case is sized for disposing inside the recessed cavity of the construction junction box while the front plate is sized for covering the recessed cavity of the construction junction box; a light source disposed in the light source socket; a light shade which is detachably attached to the front plate of base seat and sized to cover the light source opening; a control sensor provided on the front plate of the base seat and exposed to outside; and means for electrically connecting the light source with the electric wires extended inside the construction junction box and electrically connecting the control sensor and the light source in such a manner that the control sensor turns the light source off when the visible light detector detects ambient light and on when the control sensor does not detect ambient light.
In an alternative mode, the sensitive lighting fixture of the present invention, which is constructed to incorporate with a construction junction box, includes at least one front plate, a light reflector disposed in the construction junction box, an electrical light source mounted in inside the light reflector, and a visible light detecting photocell being in electrical communication with the light source, wherein the front plate has a first opening for allowing external ambient light to reach the photocell. Whereby, the photocell is adapted to turn the light source off when the photocell detects ambient light and on when the photocell does not detect ambient light. The front plate further has a second opening adapted to allow for the passage of light from the electrical light source to provide illumination in the external space.
In another alternative mode, the sensitive lighting fixture of the present invention, which is constructed to incorporate with a construction junction box recessed within a wall, comprises at least one front plate which is exposed on the surface of the wall, a light reflector and an electrical light source disposed within the junction box, and a visible light detecting photocell being in electrical communication with the light source, wherein the front plate has a first opening for allowing external ambient light to reach the photocell. Whereby, the photocell is adapted to turn the light source off when the photocell detects ambient light and on when the photocell does not detect ambient light. The front plate further has a second opening to allow for the passage of light from the electrical light source to provide automatically illumination as required in the external space in response to ambient lighting conditions.